Give chase
by Skovko
Summary: Dean is flirting openly with his fans in front of his girlfriend Usha. One day she's had enough and decides to disappear on him, using an unknowing Roman to help her. Dean realizes it's time to give chase like he did in the beginning when he first tried to get his claws in her. It's time for a cat and mouse game.
1. Getting on a train to somewhere

She stood back and watched him interact with the fans that had made it backstage. Why the company every once in a while would make these contests where fans could win a backstage tour, she completely understood. What she couldn't understand why he always seemed to forget he wasn't single whenever there were hot women among those fans. She understood why he had fans, she understood that he interacted with them, she understood the photos and autographs he gave them, and she accepted it all. What she couldn't accept any longer was him constantly ignoring her, flirting with these fans openly in front of her, and even going as far to grab some of their asses once in a while. It hurt. She had tried for so long to turn the blind eye but she couldn't anymore.

"Usha?" Roman's voice seemed abnormally loud.

She turned her head and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Sorry, it didn't seem like you heard me. I asked if you're alright?" He said.  
"I guess," she said and shrugged her shoulders.

She looked back at Dean having his arms around two skanky looking women while laughingly saying out loud that he would love to join them later that night in their hotel room. She knew he wouldn't. She knew he only said that to make them happy but it still hurt. The thought alone about him between those two made her feel uneasy about herself. There was always that evil "what if" thought in the back of her head. What if one day he would actually take one of these women up on their offer? What if one day she would no longer be enough for him?

"Dean's just being Dean. It means nothing," Roman tried calming her down.  
"Yeah, you're right. It means nothing," she said and faked a smile. "Look, Roman, can you take me somewhere? I need to pick up something."  
"Sure," he answered and smiled back, only difference was that his smile was real. "You wanna tell Dean that we're going?"  
"No, it won't be long. He'll still be here when we get back, only covered in more lipstick than now," she answered.

They quietly slipped out before the fans noticed Roman too and started demanding pictures and autographs from him as well. He unlocked his car and two minutes later they were on the road.

"So where to?" He asked.  
"Just keep going straight," she answered.  
"You know, he really doesn't mean anything by it. He just sometimes gets his head stuck in all the praise and forgets that you're standing right behind him watching it all," he tried smoothing things out.

His words really weren't helping but she let him talk, every once in a while throwing in a yes or a no on her own, making sure he continued to talk instead of starting to ask questions about where they were going. She would tell him to turn left or right whenever the time was right and then make sure he would continue talking.

"Pull over here," she said.

He pulled over and first now he looked to see where they were.

"What are we doing at the train station?" He asked confused.

He looked at her as she unbuckled the seat belt with a sigh and quickly opened the door before he caught on and tried speeding away with her still inside the car. She stepped out of it and suddenly he realized what was going on and he quickly followed out on his own side.

"No! No, Usha, I won't let you do that," he said as he ran to her side and stopped her.  
"It's not your choice," she said.  
"Where are you gonna go, huh? And what am I supposed to tell him? Oh yeah, I drove her here so she could get away from you, Dean. Please, don't be mad at me," he said.  
"So don't tell him where I went," she said.  
"You know I can't. He's my best friend," he said.  
"So tell him the truth. I don't care what you say, Roman, but I'm going. I just need some time to clear my head," she said.  
"Come on, Usha, don't leave like this. He loves you. You know that," he pleaded.  
"Well, he should have thought about that sooner," she said.  
"At least tell me where you're going," he said.  
"I don't know. I don't have a plan. I don't even have anything with me except my phone and my wallet. I'm gonna go in there and see where the trains are going and I'm gonna catch one," she said.

Knowing how stubborn she could be, just as stubborn as Dean which made them a hard couple to argue with and also the number one reason why he always thought they worked so well together, he decided to drop it and just pull her in for a hug.

"It's a 15 minute drive back to the arena and I'm gonna tell him straight away. It gives you around 30 minutes to get away from here," he said.  
"Thanks Roman," she said.  
"This is not me agreeing with you though. This is me looking out for the both of you. He could use a slap over the wrist for what he's done," he said.

He released her with a smile. She just nodded to him and hurried towards the train station. He didn't spend any time watching her get there safe. He just jumped straight back into the car and drove back to the arena.

"Dean!" He called out as he walked towards his friend still standing there flirting with fans.

Dean spun around and smiled at his friend.

"Ladies, here comes Roman," he announced proudly.

The women started acting like crazy fans as always but for once Roman decided to ignore them completely. He just grabbed Dean's wrist and started dragging him with him down the hall, leaving the fans wondering what was going on.

"We need to talk," Roman said as he dragged Dean towards the parking lot.  
"Sure. About what? And where's Usha?" Dean asked.  
"That's what we need to talk about," Roman said as they reached his car. "Get in."

Roman quickly filled Dean in and by the time they reached the train station, Dean was already out of his seat belt and ready to jump out of the car. Roman had hardly stopped the car before Dean took off running towards the train station. Roman followed just seconds behind. They ran inside and looked around but there was no sight of her.

"Fuck!" Dean shouted.

Everyone in there turned their heads to look at the shouting man. Roman grabbed his wrist for the second time that afternoon and dragged him out on one of the platforms to talk privately. Those few seconds it took to reach the platform seemed to have changed everything since Dean was suddenly smirking.

"I know what she's doing," he said.  
"Care to fill me in?" Roman asked.  
"Remember when I first met her? How she had me running all around to make me catch her?" Dean asked.  
"Yeah, me and Seth used to joke about that we had never seen you acting that way because of a woman," Roman answered.  
"When I finally got my claws in her, she admitted that she had loved our little cat and mouse game. That's what she's doing. I admit I got lost and thought everything was safe, that I could just do what I want and she would still be there. I forgot to treasure her the way I should," Dean said.  
"So...?" Roman asked confused.  
"So I'm about to go hunting again. Time to get these claws sharpened one more time and catch my mouse," Dean was grinning now while holding up his hand as if he was showing Roman his claws.

He took out his phone and tried calling her. He put it down just three seconds later.

"Straight to voicemail as expected. She knows I can track her and what fun would it be if I locate her right away? If I know her as well as I think, she's gonna turn it on at least once a day to check for incoming messages and if she still wants me, she's gonna reach out somehow to make me continue the chase," Dean said.  
"This feels like some silly plot out of a movie," Roman chuckled.  
"It's Usha and me. When have we ever been known to do things like normal people?" Dean laughed.  
"True that. So what now?" Roman asked.  
"Now I go back in there and figure out if any trains have left the last half hour and if so, where they went," Dean answered.  
"I'll wait in the car," Roman said.

Dean came back out to the car five minutes later with a huge smile on his face.

"Any luck?" Roman asked.  
"This is why I love small towns. Only one train has left so I know which town to start in tomorrow," Dean answered.  
"Tomorrow?" Roman asked.  
"Yeah, tonight I'm gonna fake an injury to be put out of action. Good old doctor Pete owes me one for setting him up with my cousin, remember?" Dean said and winked.  
"Sometimes you're too crazy," Roman laughed.  
"She makes me crazy and I refuse to go down without a fight," Dean said.


	2. He's a cop

It had been a lonely night. Long, cold and dark. She had slept alone, missed feeling his arms around her, missed feeling the warmth coming from his body. She couldn't complain. She had chosen to take off. At least she had gotten some sleep. Now with the early morning sun hitting through the window, she grabbed her phone from the nightstand and turned it on. Two messages - one from Dean and one from Roman. She opened the one from Dean first.

 _"I'm coming for you."_

That was all he wrote. No I love you, no I miss you, no how could you do this to me. Typical him. Just straight to business. She couldn't help but crack a little smile before opening the text from Roman.

 _"Call me as soon as you get this."_

She dialed his number and put the phone to her ear. He answered after two rings.

"Hello? Usha? That you, girl?" He asked.  
"Morning Roman, just got your text," she said.  
"Before you say anything else, I'm gonna tell you what I told Dean last night. I stand with you both. Whatever you tell me, I'm gonna tell him, and vice versa. So if you don't want him finding out where you are, don't tell me," he said.  
"Okay," she said lowly.  
"He sees this as a game. He told me he's gonna sharpen his claws and play a cat and mouse game with you," he said.

He heard her giggling in the other end.

"And clearly you're on board with that plan," he said and shook his head.  
"I was hoping for that outcome," she admitted.  
"Jesus, you are two crazy motherfuckers," he laughed.  
"You love us this way," she said.  
"That I do. Now listen, do you know what happened last night?" He asked.  
"No," she answered.  
"He faked an injury and Pete backed him up which has earned him a month off so he's coming for you," he said.  
"Yeah, he already told me that word for word in a text," she giggled again.  
"He drove straight home after the show. He got that weird device for his phone," he said.  
"The tracker. I figured he'd get that. I just gotta keep conversations under two minutes if he ever manages to get a hold on me. That way he won't track me," she said.

She heard him sigh and laugh in the other end. She could just imagine him sitting there, shaking his head at how they were acting.

"Anything else?" She asked, trying to get his attention back on her.  
"Yeah, he also got that police uniform they let him keep after shooting the 12 Rounds movie. That and the fake badge," he answered.  
"Shit!" She said loudly.  
"You know what that means?" He asked.  
"That means I gotta get the fuck out of this hotel before he turns up here all dressed like a cop with my picture in his hand. It's one thing that they've promised not to tell anyone I'm here but if he shows up like a cop, well, who's gonna question an authority figure like that?" She said.  
"Good luck. Oh, and Usha? You know I'm gonna call him straight away and tell him you're leaving, right?" He said.  
"Bye Roman," was all she said and hung up.

She flew up from the bed and ran to the bathroom to quickly pee and brush her teeth. She ran around with the newly bought toothbrush in her mouth while getting back into her clothes. She sent a long, dreaming look towards the shower. She didn't dare risk it. She just needed to keep moving, find somewhere else to shower and get some new, fresh clothes.

She left the room and took the elevator down. She carefully looked around before stepping out into the lobby. He wasn't there. She had no idea where he would be. It was a big town with many hotels but she knew he was stubborn enough and wouldn't give up before he had been through them all.

She quickly ran over to the counter and placed the key card on it. The woman behind the counter smiled warmly at her.

"Checking out?" She asked.  
"Yes, please," Usha answered.

She debated in her mind whether or not to tell the woman that a man wearing a fake cop costume would come by at some point asking about her. She knew it would get him in some trouble and he would have a hard time trying to explain to real cops why he would run around pretending to be one of them. She chose against it. Not to keep him out of trouble because the thought alone was funny and convincing enough but because she wanted him to know she had been there. She wanted him to know with exactly how much time he had missed her. She wanted him to know that she knew.

"A man's gonna come by later and look for me. Can I leave a note for him?" She asked.  
"Of course," the woman answered and handed her pen and paper.

She quickly wrote down something, folded the note and handed it back.

"What is his name?" The woman asked.  
"Oh, you won't miss him. He's a cop," Usha answered with an innocent smile.

A while later Dean entered the lobby and walked straight to the counter. The woman behind him looked up at him with a smile. He cleared his throat and smiled back before holding up a picture of Usha.

"I'm looking for this woman. Has she by any chance been here?" He asked.  
"Yes sir. She left you a note," the woman said and handed it to him.  
"Thank you," he said.

He stepped away and unfolded the note.

 _"It's 9.03 AM. By exactly how many minutes or hours did you miss me?"_

He chuckled and ran his tongue over his lips before leaving the hotel entirely and walking back to his car. Once inside his own little private zone, he took out his phone to call her. He wasn't surprised when he heard it ring and shortly after she picked up.

"58 minutes," he said as the first thing.  
"Wow, almost an hour. I'm good," she laughed.  
"You might have a head start but I'm winning this race," he said.  
"I'd like to see you try," she said.  
"I am trying, mouse," he said in a soft tone. "At least tell me you miss me."  
"That's not the point," she said.  
"I miss you, mouse. It was a terrible night without you. The bed was cold without you. How was your night?" He asked.  
"No, we're not doing that," she said.  
"Doing what?" He asked innocent.

She looked at her watch.

"You're not keeping me on the phone for two minutes," she answered.  
"What are you talking about?" He still tried with the innocent tone.  
"Time's up, Dean," she said but before hanging up, he heard her yell out. "Taxi!"

Then the line went dead. He chuckled in his car. It wasn't by accident she had let him know she was about to take a cab. Now he just needed to figure out which company and where they had taken her.


	3. Not today

He was in luck. The first cab company he called was the right one. Seeing as he called so shortly after she had taken the cab and the fact that she had such a unique name and luckily had used her creditcard to pay, they quickly located her in their system.

He shook his head when he found out she had been so close to him, basically just around the corner, taking the cab from a local diner. He could just imagine her sitting there enjoying a cup of coffee and a bagel while waiting for him to arrive to the hotel in his search for her and then contact her. She was mocking him.

He thanked the helpful lady on the phone, hung up and started the car. He kept the speed limit, the last thing he needed right now was being pulled over for a ticket. Not that he couldn't pay for it, he just didn't want her to get further away than possible. He parked the car once he reached the bus station and hurried towards the busses in search of her.

There was no sight of her. She had already taken a bus to somewhere. He spent minutes reading the different signs to figure out which cities the different busses would be driving. Several had left in the short timespan from when he had talked to her till now so she could have gone anywhere. He just had to go with his guts and they were telling him that she had taken the bus leading to her birth town. Not that there was anything or anyone left there for her but she would know her way around it.

He ran back to his car, started it and headed in that direction.

She sat in the bus, lost in her own thoughts, just looking down at the road as they were driving. Her heart nearly stopped beating for a second when his head suddenly came into her view. He was driving with the top down of his car and she could see him clearly. She sank down a bit in the seat while still looking down at him as he was trying to drive by. She realized he had no clue she was there, watching him, and she couldn't hold a little giggle within. She took out her phone and snapped a photo of him before he disappeared out of sight.

Typical him to not notice his surroundings. When his mind was set on something, that was all he could see. No doubt he knew she was on a bus but she doubted that his mind had even registered he had just driven past one. Now she was facing a bigger problem though. He would reach her birth town before her and without a doubt he would quickly find out the bus hadn't arrived yet and he would wait for it. She couldn't go there now. When the bus pulled over at a rest stop, she knew she wasn't going back on it.

"Excuse me," she approached the bus driver with a smile. "Is there a town near here somewhere?"  
"30 minute walk in that direction," he answered and pointed.  
"Thank you," she said and started walking.  
"You're not coming back in?" He asked confused.  
"No, I changed my mind," she answered and kept walking.

30 minutes were plenty of time. There was still a three hour drive before the bus would arrive, meaning that he wouldn't have arrived yet either. She had time to figure something out.

It was a cozy little town she ended up in. The first thing she did was turn into a local supermarket in search of some clothes and something to eat. She left the store a little while later with a bag, a pair of jeans, three tops, a phone charger, an egg sandwich, a bottle of water and directions for a local bed and breakfast.

She found the bed and breakfast without problems and luckily they had room for her. The first thing she did was taking the shower she had dreamed of since that morning. After that she enjoyed the sandwich. She kept an eye of the time and when there was about 10 minutes till the bus would arrive, she sent the photo she had taken of him to him along with a few words.

 _"Watch where you're going."_

She quickly turned off the phone before he got a chance to try calling her. She had won yet another round and she dumped down on the bed with a smirk on her face and a good feeling inside. One day he would find her, she knew that, but it wasn't gonna be today.


	4. Disappearing into the night

She had fallen asleep at some point in the afternoon. Running away was more tiring than she thought. She was awoken by people walking up the stairs towards the rooms and voices slowly getting louder. It was dark in the room she was in so it had to be in the middle of the night. A faint light came through under the crack of the door from the hallway outside. She was just about to turn over and go back to sleep when she suddenly was wide awake when she recognized his voice outside her door.

"Will you please just look at the photo and tell me if you've seen her?" He asked the woman who ran the bed and breakfast.  
"Tomorrow, sir. It's late, I'm tired and I'm not wearing my glasses so I won't be able to tell you anyway," the woman answered with a sigh. "Just go to sleep and we'll talk in the morning."

She held her breath as she laid frozen in bed and listened to them talk. He was right outside the door, Dean was right there, so close, too close, and he had no idea she was just on the other side knowing that he was there. He made a grumpy sound as he decided to let the matter go, something she knew he wasn't too happy with, and then the sound of a door closing as he entered the room across from hers. He had found her and he had no idea. What were the odds?

No way she could go back to sleep now. Even if she could, no way she would. It was too risky. She needed to get out of there fast. She sat up on the bed and just stared at her watch for 30 minutes. If there was anything Dean was fast at, it was falling asleep and once he was asleep, it took an earthquake to wake him.

After 30 minutes she quietly opened the door and tiptoed to the door he was behind. She leaned in and listened and breathed a sigh of relief as she heard his light snoring on the other side. She tiptoed back to her room and closed the door. She worked on the new pair of jeans along with one of the tops and packed the remaining stuff in the bag she had bought.

She was just about to leave the room and disappear into the night when a little evil thought ran through her mind. With a smile on her face she turned on her phone and started recording a video. With the phone in one hand she recorded her taking the bag and swinging it over her shoulder. Then she moved on to the door which she opened. Then down on her feet crossing the hall and up on the door he was behind. Then down the stairs, out of the house and finally turning around to film the house and the sign on it so he would know for sure it was the same place he was in. Then she stopped the recording. She sent it to his phone right away, knowing that even if his phone wasn't muted, the sound of a simple message coming through wasn't enough to wake him.

She walked downtown, not knowing exactly where to go from there. Should she take a train, a bus or a cab? And where should she go? All she knew was that she needed to get out of this town before he would wake up. He might be a heavy sleeper but he never slept too long. As she was walking down the street with her thoughts, she came across two young men who were just finishing loading stuff on a trailer.

"Morning, sweet lady," one of them said and smiled.  
"Good morning, guys. Or goodnight. Whatever you prefer," she smiled back. "What are you doing loading stuff at this hour?"  
"Moving my friend here to another town. It's easier to do at night. Less traffic," he answered.  
"If I help you unload once you arrive, can I catch a ride with you?" She asked.  
"You don't even know where we're going," he chuckled.  
"Doesn't matter. Anywhere will work for me," she said.  
"Sure. Get in," he said.

They arrived an hour and a half later. As promised she helped them unload. Then she thanked them and went on her way while they drove back to load the trailer once again. It was still way early but she managed to find an open diner to get an early breakfast. She sat in the diner for a couple of hours, drinking too much coffee, just trying to figure out where to go from there. A little over 7 AM her phone rang. Dean was finally awake.

"I don't believe you!" He almost shouted.  
"Well, good morning to you too, mr grumpy," she said.  
"This is getting ridiculous. You were right there. Couldn't you just have ended this stupid game and knocked on the door?" He asked.  
"And then what?" She asked back.  
"And then we could have gone home and back to normal," he answered.  
"Back to normal," she shook her head while repeating his words. "Back to the problem. Do you honestly think two nights apart have changed anything? Yeah, you would go right back to normal, flirting and touching other women in front of me again."

There was a loud thud from his end and she could imagine him kicking the bed in his frustration. She knew he wasn't mad at her. He was mad at the situation. He was mad that she had been so close and he hadn't known it. He was mad that he had lost the round.

"Just stop being such a bitch and come home," he growled.  
"Oh, I'm a bitch now?" She was getting angry too.  
"No, I didn't mean that. That came out wrong," he tried smoothing it out.  
"Tell me, how exactly is the word bitch supposed to come out right?" She hissed.  
"Just stop it, alright?" He sneered.  
"Yeah, I'll stop it. I'll stop everything. Goodbye Dean," she said.  
"Don't you dare hang..." She heard him shout but she hung up before he could finish the sentence.

He let out a loud scream before trying to redial her. Of course she had turned the phone off already. He kicked the bed one more time. The video had made him so angry. She had been right there, just a few steps away, and he had had no clue. He had slept through her leaving and she was mocking him with that video and that stupid lady running the bed and breakfast could have stopped it from ever happening if she would have just looked at the stupid photo like he had asked her to. It was all her fault. But mostly he was angry with himself. He had failed again.


	5. Close call

"Calm down," Roman said.  
"It's been a week, Roman. A fucking week and no word," Dean whined.

If there ever was a time Roman felt the need to drop everything in his hands and jump straight into his car to drive to wherever Dean was currently at, this would be now. He had managed to piss off Usha that morning and no one had heard anything from her for a week. Unfortunately Roman couldn't just drop everything and come running to his friend's aid.

"I'm sure she's fine," he said.  
"How can you be so sure? She could be lying dead in a ditch somewhere for all we know," Dean said.  
"Because it's Usha. You taught her to defend herself, remember?" Roman said.  
"Sometimes that's not enough. Not if more people attack you at once," Dean said.  
"Dean! Stop it! Stop putting those thoughts into your own head. They won't do you any good," Roman said firmly.

Dean got quiet for a few seconds. Roman wondered if his friend was counting to ten in his head to try and calm down or what on earth he was doing.

"Why does she have to be so god damn stubborn?" Dean asked angrily.  
"Remind you of someone else?" Roman asked teasingly.  
"Shut up!" Dean growled. "I know. She's just as fucking stubborn as me. Serves me right and shit, is that what you're gonna say?"  
"Something like that," Roman chuckled.

Dean was breathing heavily and Roman could hear he was trying his best to keep the tears within.

"I just really miss her," Dean sighed.  
"Dean, do you understand why she left?" Roman asked.  
"Yes, I do and she's right in punishing me this way," Dean answered.  
"So when she finally surfaces again, will you have learned your lesson?" Roman asked.  
"God yes. Never again to flirt with a fan or touch another woman. I don't even know why she didn't do this sooner. What the hell is wrong with me, Roman? Why would I do crazy shit like that?" Dean asked.  
"Because you're crazy. Crazy shit is what you do. Just start doing other crazy shit instead," Roman chuckled.

Another small pause where all Roman could hear was Dean's breathing.

"Do you..." Dean could hardly get the words out. "Do you think she's gone for good?"  
"As in left you? No, she wouldn't do that without saying it face to face. She isn't some stupid teenage girl breaking up with you over text message. She loves you so much but you hurt her deep. Right now she's hurting you back the only way she knows how," Roman said.  
"It's working. I'm hurting. And I deserve it," Dean said.

She turned on her phone and shortly after messages were coming in. She checked it every day and as usual both Dean and Roman tried reaching out to her. She read all their messages. She just didn't respond to them. This time Roman was begging though.

 _"Please, contact one of us. Dean is beginning to worry if you might be dead. Put his worries to rest."_

"Usha, you with us?" A male voice sounded.

She looked up at her new friends. They were good guys. None of them tried anything with her. They just welcomed her the only way she wanted to be welcomed: as a friend. It was nice, it was freeing, it was what she needed.

She had run into Earl at the supermarket. After she had hung up on Dean a week earlier, she had been so mad that she forgot to see where she was going and she had bumped straight into him, making him drop whatever he was holding. Instead of yelling at her, he just looked at her with concern in his eyes and asked if she was okay. That's when she broke down and finally cried. He must have thought she was crazy. A strange woman crying in front of him at the supermarket. Instead he had offered her a hug and a talk and from there it had went fast. He had taken her home to the farmhouse that he shared with his girlfriend and for a week she had been living in their guest room. With Earl and his girlfriend Susan came Earl's funny friends as well and right now they were at a bar together.

"Yeah, sorry, first round on me," she said with a smile.

She walked up to the bartender and ordered a round of beer. While she waited for the bartender to open them all, she took out her phone again and called Roman. He was right. She needed to put their worries to rest.

"Usha?" He answered after only one ring.  
"That was fast," she chuckled.  
"Oh, thank god, it is you. Are you okay?" He asked.  
"Everything's fine. Just checking in. I'm still alive and I still got all my fingers, toes and teeth," she said.  
"Dean's going out of his mind," he said.  
"Well, tell him I called," she said.  
"I'm not sure he'll believe me at this point. Just send out some sort of life signal," he pleaded.  
"Is he still following my social medias?" She asked.  
"Following? He's stalking them all, just hoping you'll reach out one way or another," he answered.  
"Fine, I'll post a photo on Instagram," she said and hung up.

She turned around and leaned her back up against the counter before holding the phone up to take a selfie. She did it this way so her front would be visible but at the same time so would her back in the mirrow on the wall. She posted it on Instagram with one single word.

 _"Partytime."_

Dean nearly choked on his coffee when he suddenly saw the picture. Finally, a sign of life. She was still out there and she looked good. He wouldn't say she looked happy although she smiled on the photo. Her eyes were lacking that flame that usually was there when she looked at him.

"I miss you, mouse," he said lowly.

He kept staring at the photo and suddenly he noticed something. He put his fingers on the phone to stretch the photo bigger. His eyes went to the bartender who had his back turned against her. He stared in the mirror at the inverted letters on the bartender's shirt. It took a few seconds for him to turn them around in his mind but there it was. The name of the bar. He quickly googled it and let out a laughter before dialing Roman.

"I got her," he laughed the second Roman picked up.  
"Huh?" Roman asked.  
"I got her, Roman. She's in a town 30 minutes from here. I'm going there now," Dean said.  
"She finally put out a lead for you to follow?" Roman asked.  
"Not intentionally. She's in for a surprise," Dean answered.  
"Careful," Roman warned him but Dean could hear the smile in his tone.  
"This is me doing other crazy shit like you told me to," Dean laughed again.  
"Well, good luck," Roman said.

"Alright, next round on me," Earl said.  
"I'm gonna go pee," she said.  
"You always pee," he laughed.  
"It's not because I like beer. I just really like peeing," she said and winked before walking to the bathroom.

Dean entered the bar and looked around. There was no sign of her but he recognized her red coat on a hanger right away so he knew she was there somewhere. No one seemed to take notice of him as he walked straight to the bar and ordered a club soda.

He stood there staring at the bathroom door. There really wasn't anywhere else she could be unless she had left the bar entirely and forgot her coat, something that he knew she never would do. A smirk entered his face when she opened the door and looked at him shocked. She took a deep breath before taking the few steps over to him.

"Hey there, mouse. You look surprised," he said amused.  
"How did you...?" She let the question hang in the air.  
"I'm just that good," he chuckled. "Ready to come home now?"

She looked behind him to see Earl was watching them.

"What makes you think you've won just yet?" She asked and sent him a smirk back.

The smirk on his face disappeared as he looked at her in wonder, trying to figure out what she could mean by that. Surely, he had won. He had found her, she was in front of him, now they just needed to go out to his car together and drive home.

"Is everything alright, Usha?" Earl interfered Dean's thoughts.

Dean turned his head towards the table where the voice had been coming from.

"Everything's fine," he spat.  
"I was asking the lady," Earl said.

Suddenly every man at the table was watching them.

"Remember Dean I told you about, Earl?" She asked.  
"Yeah?" He looked at her.  
"Meet Dean," she said and held her hand out towards him.

Suddenly all the men stood up from the table and none of them looked happy.

"What the hell did you tell them about me?" Dean asked nervously.  
"I think it's best you leave," Earl cut him off.  
"Not without her," Dean said.  
"It wasn't a suggestion," Earl said.  
"Usha?" Dean asked and looked at her while starting to crack his knuckles.  
"Don't play tough, Dean. Just walk out," she said.  
"I'm not leaving," he said.  
"Yes, you are," Earl said.

Dean walked towards the door but kept his eyes on her while doing so.

"I might walk out of this bar, mouse, but I'm not leaving. Even if I have to sit in my car the entire night, I'm still gonna be out there. At some point you're bound to leave this place," he said with a grin before finally walking out.

"Did you finally reach out to him to tell him where you are?" Earl asked.  
"No. I have no clue how he found me," she answered.  
"What do you wanna do? You wanna keep playing or let him win?" He asked.  
"Please, Earl. I know you've only known me for a week but you should know by now I don't give up that easy," she answered with a smirk. "Care to help me out?"  
"Uh, part of your plans. I'm in. What do you need?" He asked.  
"Call Susan and ask her to come by with a couple of her friends. Make her bring a jacket she won't miss and tell her to wear black jeans," she answered.

Dean sat in his car and just watched the door to the bar across the street. For a second he moved his eyes to the car that pulled up. Three happy women got out and walked into the bar. He thought nothing more of it.

"Okay, we're here. What's up?" Susan asked.  
"Dean's outside," Usha answered.  
"Shit! For real?" Susan asked.  
"He looked pretty real," Usha answered and winked.  
"Don't joke about it. So what now?" Susan asked.  
"Now you're gonna get my coat that you've been commenting on all week and I'm gonna take that old jacket of yours," Usha answered.

Usha handed Susan the coat and Susan quickly put it on. Usha moved Susan's hair forward to hide most of her face and pulled up the hood.

"Never have I been so happy about how similar we look and in the darkness all he'll see is me. Black jeans, red coat, dark brown hair. Damn it, Susan, you could be my twin," Usha giggled.  
"Just glad to be part of your silly game. Maybe I should try this at some point if Earl acts up," Susan said.  
"Hey! I don't act up, woman!" Earl laughed.

The women laughed with him before turning serious again.

"This is really goodbye, isn't it?" Susan asked.  
"For now. I'll keep in contact and I sure as hell won't forget how friendly you've been this entire week," Usha said.  
"What are you gonna do?" Susan asked.  
"Zane's gonna give me a ride as soon as it's safe," Usha said.  
"Where are you gonna go?" Susan asked.

Dean sat in his car with his eyes still firmly planted on the door when her red coat appeared in his sight. She was walking fast towards a car together with that annoying man from the bar who had sent him out. He started his car and the second they started driving, he followed them.

 _"All clear. He's following us. Good luck."_

Susan's text came just seconds later. Usha nodded, mostly to herself, and then turned to Zane.

"All clear," she said.  
"Let's go then," Zane said.

Dean followed the car for around 15 minutes. They had left town and was on their way out on the country side. It didn't surprise him. That Earl surely looked a bit hillbilly in his eyes. The car stopped as they reached the gate to their property. She exited the car and all he could look at was that red coat. Then she suddenly started moving towards his car. He hurried out of it to greet her, thinking she had finally decided to give up and come home. She kept her head bowed and the hood up while she walked over to him. It wasn't until she came closer, he realized something wasn't quite right. Once she was close enough, she reached her hand up and pulled the hood down and there was one of those three women he had seen jump out of the car and walk into the car.

"She's not here anymore, Dean," she said.


	6. Home

"Hi mom," she said and sighed. "I know it's been years and it's entirely my fault. I should have come to visit a whole lot sooner but it was just so damn hard, you know. I miss you. Things have been good in my life. I met someone. We've actually been together for over a year. We even live together. Yeah, go figure. You always said it would take a special kind of man to put up with me and I did find that special someone. His name is Dean and right now he's... god knows where he is. Somewhere out there hopefully still searching for me."

 _"Where are you gonna go?" Susan asked._  
 _"Home," Usha answered._

"I wish you could meet him. You would have loved him. He's just as stubborn and crazy as me and everyone always knew how much you loved me," she let out a little giggle. "Anyway, I just came by to tell you that I'm in a good place. Well, maybe not so much these days but in general I'm good. I'm safe. And happy most of the time."

She placed the bouquet of flowers carefully up against the tombstone with her mother's name on it.

 _"She's not here anymore, Dean," she said._  
 _"Where is she?" He asked._  
 _"She said she was gonna go home," she said and smiled. "Do you know why I tell you this?"_  
 _"No," he answered._  
 _"Because she misses you. She's stubborn as fuck and I know I've only known her for a week but the way she talks about you... She misses you badly. She's not gonna come to you willingly, god forbid she'll let you win, but she's waiting for you," she said._

He had sped home as fast as he dared and reached their home in the early morning hours. He had no idea how she travelled, probably by train or bus, so it made sense he had made it there before her. He was tired and although he tried to fight it, he had fallen asleep. He woke up around noon and he waited the entire day for her to return but she never came. His body finally growled at him around 8 PM and he ended up calling Roman, asking him to come by with pizza and a friendly attitude.

"I just don't get why that woman would lie to me like that," Dean sighed.  
"To send you in the wrong direction? Isn't that how this game goes?" Roman chuckled.  
"She just seemed to sincere," Dean said.  
"Maybe Usha knew she wouldn't be able to keep her mouth shut so she lied about where she was going," Roman offered.  
"I don't think so. Her eyes were on fire when she saw me. It was like they were screaming at me that we were back in the game. She wouldn't have left a false clue like that," Dean said.  
"So maybe she didn't mean home as in your home," Roman shrugged his shoulders, not even sure what he was trying to say.

Dean's entire face lit up as he heard Roman's word.

"That's it! You're right!" He yelled.  
"I am?" Roman asked confused.  
"Why didn't I think about that. She was on her way back to her birth town on the first day but I stopped those plans when she saw me from the bus. That's fucking it. She's gone home as in back home to that town," Dean said.  
"Are you sure?" Roman asked.  
"Well, she isn't here so where else would home be?" Dean asked and jumped up. "Care to lock up when you leave? I got a whole lot of hours travelling ahead."  
"Good luck... again," Roman yelled after him as Dean stormed out.

She was in this town. He was sure of it now. He had travelled all night, reloaded on coffee every chance he got along the way, and now he was there. And not just anywhere. He was standing in front of her mother's grave, looking at the fresh bouquet of flowers which could only have come from her. She once said her mother's favourite flowers were tulips and that was all he saw. Tulips in multiple colours.

"Hey there, I guess I should introduce myself. My name is in Dean and I don't know what you've might heard about me but I'm in love with your daughter. I love her more than life itself and I hope you're okay with that because I'm not letting her go," he said and smiled at the tombstone.

He scratched his head, not sure the best way to pay his respect to a dead woman he'd never met before.

"Just thought you should know," he said before walking away.

She sat on the bed at the bed and breakfast she had spent the night at and just looked at her phone. It had been over a day and not a single word from Dean, not a phone call or a text, since she had played him that night at the bar and gotten away. Maybe she had gone too far. Maybe he had given up. She refused to give in and reach out to him so for now she just kept her phone on in case he was gonna reach out eventually. She hoped he would.

He spent most of the day walking around town, just taking it in, getting to know it a little better, hoping that he somehow would find her. He didn't call or text her on purpose. He wasn't gonna let her know he was there. He could feel inside that she was close and he knew it was only a matter of time till he found her so for now he just made himself comfortable as he walked around. He had lunch and dinner at the same little place, he found every coffee bar in town and quickly figured out which one served the best coffee and he even went to a store to try on some jeans just to make time move a little faster.

As he was walking around again after dinner, he suddenly came across a bar with the name O'Malley painted on the front. A wide grin spread on his face. She had told him about this place. She had told him how this was the place she and her friends would always go to. He stepped inside and looked around. It was pretty packed but no sign of her. He walked up to the counter, placed an order for both a glass of whiskey and a club soda, and then he walked to the darkest corner and slid into the booth.

He had been sitting there for around 20 minutes. His whiskey was far gone but he had just started on the club soda. His eyes immetiately flew to the door as it opened again and her face seemed to light up the entire room. She looked tired, worn out even. She didn't even look around. She just walked straight to the counter and ordered a beer. She checked her phone while waiting for the beer to be served and then walked over to sit in an empty booth a little ahead of him. She had her back against him but he could see her head over the red leather seat.

He liked that she had been checking her phone. It had been two days now since any contact had been between them and he liked seeing her sweat a little. After all, she had gone silent for an entire week. Two days was nothing compared to the seven days of hell he had gone through but at the same time two days were more than enough. He took out his phone and called her.

"Hey," her voice sounded sad.  
"Hey there, mouse. How are you doing?" He asked.  
"I'm alright," she answered.  
"You don't sound too good," he said.  
"Just a bit tired," she lied.

She lifted the beer and took a sip from it. He used the time to take a sip of his club soda as well.

"It's okay to admit you miss me," he said softly.

There was a 3 second pause and then she sighed.

"I do," she finally admitted. "I miss you, Dean."  
"I miss you too," he said.

She turned her head to the side and he watched as she moved her hand up to dry her eyes.

"Don't cry," he said.  
"I'm not," she said.  
"Don't lie. I can..." He bit his tongue before he accidently gave himself away. "... _hear_ it."  
"I just don't know what the point of this is anymore. Why did I start this stupid game in the first place?" She said.  
"Because I was a dick," he answered and chuckled. "You did the right thing. I was a player before I met you and even though I haven't even felt the need to touch or look at another woman since you came into my life, I still thought the fans should get the thrill ride called Dean Ambrose."

He heard her laugh a little and it made him smile.

"But I was wrong. They shouldn't. I shouldn't be acting like that. I should only put my hands on you, and I tell you mouse, I'm gonna put them all over you very soon again. I need to show you that you're the only one for me," he said.  
"Is that so?" He heard the old fire coming to life in her tone again.  
"Oh yeah, I'm gonna pin you down and have my way with you. I'll even tie you down if you act up and try to run again," he said jokingly.  
"Well, now I have to try and run if that's the outcome," she joked back.  
"Better start now," he said.  
"You have to find me first," she said.  
"I'm closer than you think," he said, struggling to keep himself from bursting out with laughter.

She lifted her beer again, took another sip and placed it back on the table.

"Are you now? Do you even know where I am?" She challenged him.  
"That little friend of yours told me you went home," he said.  
"I thought she would be able to keep her mouth shut," she said.  
"So I hurried home. I drove all night and I waited for you all day and you never came. And then I realized that you hadn't meant to go back home to where we live. You meant home as in _home_ ," he said.

She started looking around nervously. He knew he had hit the right nerve.

"So where exactly are you now?" She asked.  
"Out looking for you," he lied. "Are you ready to come home once I catch you this time?"

She leaned back in her seat, thinking about what to answer. He quietly got up from his seat and walked closer to her.

"I tell you what. You catch me by the end of the day and I'll come home," she said.

He leaned in close to her ear before he spoke.  
"Deal."

She jumped in her seat as he frightened her and looked at him shocked.

"Hey there, mouse," he said as he sat down next to her.  
"What the fuck?" That was the only words she could get out of her mouth.  
"You once told me about this place. Had to come see if it was all that great as you let me to believe," he chuckled.  
"So is it?" She asked.  
"It got better once you walked through the door," he answered.

She slowly started to smile and he leaned in to give her a quick kiss.

"So, mouse, you're not backing out of our deal, are you?" He asked.  
"It depends on whether or not you're gonna back out on your words," she answered.  
"Don't worry, I'm gonna hold you down the entire night if you want me to," he said and winked. "The only question is whether or not you got a room around here somewhere or if I have to slam you up against the nearest brick wall once we walk out of here."  
"I'm at a bed and breakfast so we gotta be quiet," she said.  
"Screw that. I don't care if the entire town hears you. What a way to tell them you're back home," he said and stuck out his tongue.

She laughed and grabbed his head to give him another kiss.

"Okay, how about this? We go there for a quick round. Then we drive all night to get home and we're gonna spend the entire day in bed where you can make me scream all you want," she said.  
"You really don't think you're gonna scream even for a quick round?" He said and ran his hand up her thigh.  
"I know I am but I'm kind of hoping you can hold me down with one hand and use your other hand to cover my mouth," she said.  
"Oh, you're hoping for that, are you?" He chuckled.  
"I'll even beg," she looked at him with puppy eyes.  
"You'll beg, alright. First you'll beg me for more, then you'll beg me to stop, and I'm gonna fuck you through it all no matter how much you beg," he said and kissed her neck. "But alright, I'll play nice for a quick round here and silence your screams."

He ran his tongue up the rim of her ear.

"But once we get home..." He left the sentence hanging unfinished in the air.


End file.
